The Arizona sentinel., 1887-09-17
WARTIME MAKESHIFTS.
Some of the Expedients for Sup
 plying Natures Wants.
Getting Food and Clothing, During the War, in Southern States-How Ne cessity, the Mother of Inven-
 tion, Piled Her Wits.

One of the most curious features Of the late war in the South was the va riety of expedients to which the people resorted to supply those wants which became pressing. Not until communi- cation with ''the North had been cut off did the people recognize the fact, and fully realize it. that the South had been actually dependent upon the Northern manufacturer for hundreds of articles in daily use. Factories were few, and these in the main made only the commoner kinds of tobacco and cotton cloths. Every article found in a store in 1861 was sure to be of North ern manufacture, and with that always higher appreciation of other people s handiwork or talents, was held in higher esteem than any thing homemade. Each Christmas, in those days, shoes were given the ne- groes. A common question was 'Who made dem shoes?" ''Dey wasn't made,'' would be the reply; ''dey come outen de store" By the close of 1861 homemade goods came into use, mainly from pure necessity. The lat ter being the mother of invention, it speedily followed that in North Caro- lima inventors and clever inventions became quickly numerous and varied. Salt, shoes, clothing and hats were prime necessities. The demand for salt was very great There were two sorces of supply-the sea and the salt works in Virginia. But these could do little toward supplying the demand at first though later the output was larger. A sack of salt, which at first sold for two dollars, rose to thirty dol lars in gold, and even then it was a privilege to obtain it. Many families in the interior made salt from the earth in their smokehouses. This earth had gathered, in the course of years, much salt from the meats which were smoked in such houses in those days. It was dug up and leached in a rude ash hop per, just as ashes are leached for lye. A brine, with more or less strength, was obtained. This was concentrated by boiling and then allowed to crystal izc. It was not the best article in the world, but it was undeniably salt, which was the one thing needful. The Government later took charge of the salt works and employed specially trained men in large rlmbers in the manufacture of that necessity. The price was regulated by military rules, and it became more abundant and of far better quality.
 For clothing, homespun was the only wear. In those days rude spin ning-wheels and hand-looms of antique pattern were common. Those who had relinquished the use of these, or who had used them only in the manufacture of servants clothing, speedily found it necessary to use them themselves. Others were made, with some improve ments in design, and there was an eager search for dyeing material These were as a rule vegetable. h. digo, barks of various kinds. etc, were largely used. The country weaver who made a good article of brown jeans, with cotton warp and wool filling" was in great demand. Many of the wealthiest and most cult ured women made and wore the coarsest of home-spun cloths. For un- derwear rough factory cotton or cot ton made on the hand looms was the best thing to he obtained.
 It was said by very old people that time had been turned back three, quarters of century, and that peo pie in the main resorted to as primi. tive methods of living and preparing clothing, etc, as were use in the day: of the revolution of 1776. Leather was in great demand, and since 'therC is nothing like leather" it was found that it admitted of no substitute Many farmers had tan-troughs made out of large logs or of blanks and large enough to hold a dozer hides. In these they rudely tanned with oak bark the skins of their owr and their neighbors' cattle for upper leather. The sole leather, as rule was made at the regular tanneries So very urgent and constant was tht demand for shoes that frequently tht hides were not allowed to remain in tho troughs long enough to become tanned thoroughly, but had to be taken ou and used while partly raw. They were utilized while of brown or rus. set color, and were not black. At tempts at polishing such leather were